Aethir provides better computing efficiency with its Instant Play streaming solution for Doctor Who: Worlds Apart, resulting in better user-acquisition efficiency and revenue.
‘In a case study by the game’s partner SuperScale, Aethir said its decentralized cloud computing infrastructure is designed to support gaming enterprises with the processing power needed to maximize their market impact and reach more users. In this case, Aethir enabled a “try before you buy” solution that paid off.
SuperScale provides gaming user acquisition (UA) solutions and is one of Aethir’s ecosystem partners. It worked with Doctor Who: Worlds Apart on user acquisition, and it did a case study on the benefits of Aethir’s Instant Play streaming solutions for user acquisition and retention.
Aethir finds under-utilized graphics processing units (GPUs) from tech companies, enterprises, data centers, crypto miners and consumers. It aggregates them into a compute marketplace and provides it to those who need it on a fractional basis.
SuperScale analyzed how Aethir’s cloud gaming solutions can enhance early-funnel efficiency and Day-7 revenue for both paid and owned channels relative to the untouched organic baseline. The case study monitored the impact of Aethir’s Instant Play streaming solutions on Doctor Who: Worlds Apart, a Web2/3 trading card game (TCG) by Reality+.
A new approach
Reality+ integration with Aethir’s cloud computing is already showing “remarkable results,” — with an install conversion rate uplift of 201% — and SuperScale’s case study shows the key data based on practical usage, the company said.
The mobile gaming market is fiercely competitive, and acquisition costs keep increasing. To keep CPIs sustainable, studios must hook players earlier in the journey and prove value up front. Aethir’s Instant Play streamed demo technology promises to do just that by letting gamers play before installing a game.
Aethir and SuperScale set out to validate whether a pre-download cloud demo can lift engagement, boost conversion, and increase total average revenue per user (ARPU) without sacrificing retention. The experiment was designed to explore the benefits of streaming games directly within an advertisement or organic boost, allowing users to play the game before being redirected to the app store.
Case study user flow
The primary goal of this UA test was to prove that Aethir’s Instant Play streaming concept works regardless of the type of traffic source or game genre.
The case study user flow was designed to offer instant access to Doctor Who: Worlds Apart through a simple, zero-entry barrier experience.
The user is within an app or game. They are shown an advertisement for Doctor Who: Worlds Apart.
Upon clicking the ad, they are directed to the Aethir-powered landing page. The user proceeds to play the game online on the Aethir-powered webpage.
After concluding the session automatically by depleting time or using a clickable button, they are redirected to the Google Play Store to download the game. The user has a higher chance of downloading the game from the store thanks to the Aethir-powered play session that lets him play before downloading.
Case study results
The case study results showed that Aethir’s Instant Play streaming technology maximizes user acquisition and retention in all aspects.
The companies said the cross-case validation of the initial thesis shoed Aethir’s Instant Play maximizes UA results regardless of game genre. The install conversion rate uplift was 201%. ARPU improvement was 61%. In-app purcchase conversion rate uplift was 18%. Day 7 retention was 82%, retention parity was above 1% and average daily gametime improvement was 22%.
The initial Aethir and SuperScale case study with another game, Tiny Tower, showed roughly +45% higher install conversion rates and nearly double ARPU (+93% uplift) for the Aethir demo group, alongside a +77% increase in average session count and +26% longer sessions. Notably, Tiny Tower’s Aethir cohort also exhibited stronger retention (+60% D1, +80% D7) compared to the baseline.
The Doctor Who experiment echoed the positive trends. While the magnitude varied, the companies saw improved install conversion (+201%), IAP conversion (+18%), and substantially higher ARPU (+61% total, +82% D7) from the Aethir experience, as well as increased engagement. Retention remained healthy (on par with organic players). The consistency of these results across two different games/genres validates that Aethir’s “try before you buy” approach reliably boosts user quality and value.
Powering Next-Generation Gaming User Acquisition with Aethir’s Decentralized Cloud
“Studios need more efficient and consistent ways to grow and keep their player base — especially for titles with high barriers to entry,” said Paul Thind, chief revenue officer at Aethir, in a statement. “In 2024, even top-earning games saw CPI hit $4.83, Day-7 retention below 9%, and organic reach below 30%.”
Thind added, “With SuperScale, we’ve again shown how Aethir’s Instant Play model — powered by our decentralized cloud infrastructure — reduces friction and gives players a seamless way to try a game before downloading, driving measurable results like an SuperScale’s case study showed reassuring evidence that Aethir’s decentralized cloud gaming infrastructure can provide major UA and revenue-boosting benefits for mobile gaming studios regardless of gam82% lift in Day-7 ARPU.”
He said the companies are building a new “operating system” for game growth that is data-driven, global, and successful long term.
“SuperScale’s latest case study showed how Aethir’s Instant Play streaming technology can maximize user acquisition and retention while improving revenue for gaming companies regardless of game genre,” he said.
He said the companies have proven that “try before you buy/download” works and that Aethir’s decentralized cloud infrastructure is a reliable partner for gaming studios looking to scale their operations with premium cloud computing.
“With Aethir’s Instant Play technology powering early access to our mobile game Doctor Who: Worlds Apart, players get a taste of the adventure before ever hitting download, resulting in a 201% boost in install conversion rate uplift and a clear signal that the future of gaming lies in frictionless, cloud-first experiences,” said Tony Pearce, CEO and co-founder of Reality+, in a statement.
Ivan Trancik, CEO of SuperScale, said in a statement, “Aethir’s cloud streaming slotted perfectly into SuperScale’s Ecosystem, letting players leap straight into Reality+’s Doctor Who: Worlds Apart before they ever hit ‘download’.”
Trancik added, “Seeing a 201 % surge in installs and a lasting lift in revenue isn’t just a great result for our teams – it’s proof that when breakthrough cloud technology meets bold game-makers, the growth potential is limitless. Huge congratulations to our partners at Aethir and Reality+ for turning this shared vision into measurable success.”
The mobile gaming market is highly competitive and saturated, with thousands of developers and publishers competing for the same audience. To get a competitive edge, gaming studios need access to innovative UA solutions such as Aethir’s Instant Play streaming technology.
Aethir’s cloud gaming infrastructure is powered by a globally distributed GPU network of over 428,000 high-performance GPU containers, capable of powering the most demanding cloud gaming workloads at scale. By letting users try games before downloading or purchasing, Aethir offers an innovative UA solution for gaming studios looking to eliminate entry barriers for users.
SuperScale’s case study showed reassuring evidence that Aethir’s decentralized cloud gaming infrastructure can provide major UA and revenue-boosting benefits for mobile gaming studios regardless of game genre.
